The vegetable priestess was found in Liben, Prague, in a gardening colony on tomato plants. “This finding is the first, officially verified occurrence in the Czech Republic. The vegetable priestess comes from East Africa and the Mediterranean, from where it has gradually spread worldwide, “said Ivana Kršková, a spokeswoman for ÚKZÚZ.
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Occurrences of this bug are otherwise known from other European countries – Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Romania, France, Italy or Slovenia.
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According to Kršková, the vegetable priestess is an invasive insect that harms various types of vegetables, such as tomatoes or peppers. Then on corn, soybeans, sunflowers and fruit and ornamental trees. Preferably sucks on fruits, young shoots and leaves. Tiny, hard, brownish or blackish spots form at the suction points.
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“Sucking of priests inhibits the growth of unripe fruits, causes their deformation and premature fall. The fruits are spoiled, lose their quality and are not for sale. Suction on the fruit damages the skin, which can lead to secondary infections, causing subsequent storage problems. In crops such as corn and soybeans, sucking of bugs can cause disorders in seed development, “added Ivana Kršková.
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Protective measures against vegetable priestess are complicated. The priestess quickly moves from one host to another. Regular monitoring and visual inspection of cultivated plants plays a very important role here. Products registered for sucking insects and bedbugs can be used for plant protection.
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“Although this pest is not subject to a special regime by EU legislation, the Central Agricultural Inspection and Testing Institute will continue to monitor its occurrence in the Czech Republic, given the risk of its rapid spread and considerable harmfulness,” the spokeswoman added.
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